N. Middlesex supt. talks of key plans

for new school year

By Chelsea Feinstein, cfeinstein@nashobapub.com

Posted:
08/28/2013 04:45:47 PM EDT

TOWNSEND -- As students and parents prepared for the beginning of the school year, North Middlesex Regional School District Superintendent Joan Landers outlined her three goals for the year at Monday night's school committee meeting.

Landers listed them as continuing work on the North Middlesex Regional High School building project, using data to improve instruction and offering new programs to expand opportunities for students.

The high school building project is in planning stages right now as the towns of Ashby, Pepperell and Townsend debate whether they will hold special town meetings to approve the project or add it to the warrant of spring's annual town meeting.

"We have done a lot of work so far on schematic design," Landers said.

Chairman of the Building Committee, Robert Templeton, said the building committee will be holding weekly meetings on Monday nights to discuss the design. "Over the next few months, we're going to put together a plan for this building for the next 50 years," Templeton said.

Landers highlighted the increased use of data in the classroom as a goal for the coming year. "We're looking to improve teaching and learning through data," she said.

Landers' final goal involves pursuing three new programs that she called "diverse and innovative." They include a virtual school, a public day school to meet the needs of special needs students and the implementation of an international baccalaureate program at the high school.

Advertisement

Committee member Brian Edmonds said the virtual school could help make North Middlesex "the place to be" for education. "We have a large community that could benefit from the opportunity to do non-traditional schooling," Edmonds said.

He said that a virtual school could attract students from outside of the North Middlesex district to learn on their own schedules.

The school district has submitted a letter of intent to be evaluated for the project, Landers said.

The public day school for special needs students is also in early stages of evaluation, she said.

School committee member Jonna Clermont expressed support for Landers' goals.